We all know that a healthy lifestyle requires a colorful and varied diet. Healthy proteins, fruits and vegetables are often the focus, but don’t overlook the importance of vitamins and minerals!

Minerals like calcium are crucial to your overall health and help support your body to thrive every day.

Our AFC Urgent Care Fountain City team explains more about calcium and its role in our bodies below, so read on.

What Is Calcium?

Most of the body’s calcium is stored in your bones, and the rest can be found in your blood, muscles and other tissues. It is a mineral that helps create and maintain strong bones throughout your body. Having strong bones is important throughout your entire life, so maintaining your calcium level is crucial.

That’s not all that calcium does, though. This important mineral helps with blood clotting, muscle contracting and can even help regulate your heart rhythm. All of this is necessary for living a healthy life. By eating foods that contain calcium (and vitamin D, which is needed to absorb the calcium), you can ensure that your calcium levels are high enough that your body doesn’t need to always pull it from your bones when it needs it.

Foods That Contain Calcium

• Milk, cheese or dairy products
• Green, leafy vegetables
• Winter squash
• Nuts like almonds

What Happens if I Don’t Have Strong Bones?

If you don’t prioritize eating calcium-rich foods, your body will need to pull calcium from your bones when it needs it. If this continues to happen without being replaced, your bones can become weaker over time. Eventually, you can develop osteoporosis, which is where your bones become so weak that even the simple acts of bending over or climbing stairs can result in broken bones.

In addition to adding calcium to your diet, you should also prioritize regular exercise. Exercise encourages your bones to remodel and build density to support your body. Focus on incorporating more weight-bearing exercises like jogging or a daily walk.

Signs of Weakening Bones

• Back pain
• Loss of height over time
• Frequent breaks or fractures
• Stooped posture

We can diagnose and treat broken bones! Stop by AFC Urgent Care Fountain City today.